Month: July 2024

WINDHOEK: Project Never Walk Alone (PNWA) donated 1 700 pairs of shoes to school-going children in the Zambezi Region over the weekend, at a cost of N.dollars 700 000.

Its founder, Tim Ekandjo in a recent statement said, N.dollars 890 000 was spent in total, with N.dollars 190 000 spent on logistics and lunch for the beneficiaries, the children.

‘This handover was jointly sponsored by Arrechanab Community Trust with N.dollars 500 000, UnityTrust N.dollars 150 000, Momentum Metropolitan Empowerment Trust N.dollars 140 000 and Breakwater Marine Industries with N.dollars 100 000,’ Ekandjo said.

The handover which started at Katima Mulilo Combined School on Friday and proceeded to the Caprivi Senior Secondary School Saturday, saw the attendance of Zambezi Chief Regional Officer, Regina Ndopu, who represented the Governor, Lawrence Sampofu.

‘The project is now planning to visit Kharas and Oshana regions in the next few months and I call upon like-minded partners to come on board to make this possible,’ Ekandjo
noted.

PNWA Ambassador, Ann Singer remarked that the project has to date handed over 12 200 in nine regions.

Source: The Namibia News Agency

Dr Ahmed Audi, Commandant-General (CG), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has urged personnel of the corps to exercise restraints during the Aug.1 planned nationwide protest.

Audi gave the charge while addressing State Commandants and Zonal Heads on Monday at the NSCDC Headquarters, Abuja.

He urged officers and men to be professional and civil, while discharging their duties of protecting citizens and Critical National Asset and Infrastructure.

‘Your duty is to ensure the protest is peaceful as we don’t want violence, destruction of assets, killings and burning of properties.

‘Do not molest or harass any citizen, but we advise that in as much as citizens have the right to protest, they do not have the right to destroy government properties.

‘The corps is ready to give maximum security to law abiding citizens but anyone with intentions of vandalism or mayhem will be punished,’ he said.

Combat ready personnel

The CG disclosed that no fewer than 30,000 personnel had been deployed nationwid
e to participate in monitoring and ensuring security during the proposed protest.

He warned personnel to refrain from being over-zealous as the corps would not condone any action that is against its operations Act.

He also appealed to Nigerians to embrace dialogue during disagreements for agreements and solutions to be reached.

‘Violence does not pay so we urge parents to advise wards on the dangers of protests that might lead to violence.

‘Citizens have the right to protest but tracing the history of protests, you will realise that most of the protests end up being hijacked by bad elements,’ he said.

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Audi further said that the meeting with the state helmsmen was intended to appraise previous instructions as well as discuss on further strategies to ensure a peaceful protest.

The NSCDC boss added that the corps would continue to work in synergy with other security agencies to ensure a peaceful Nigeria.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, has tasked top level military officers to demonstrate steadfast dedication to ensuring the safety and security of the country.

Musa gave the charge at the opening of the joint Strategic National Security Exercise (STRANEX) 2024 organised by the National Defence Colleges (NDC), on Monday in Abuja.

He was represented by the Director of Peace Keeping Operations, Defence Headquarters, Maj.-Gen. Hilary Mabeokwu, at the exercise organised for participants of NDC Course 32 and those of the services’ war colleges.

The CDS said the exercise marked a turning point in their shared resolve to protect the citizens against new threats.

He said that the main goal of STRANEX was to thoroughly test and certify the national security plans in the context of crisis simulations.

According to him, this exercise offers a priceless chance for top level decision making and leadership growth.

Musa said that the participants would refine their crisis management and strategi
c planning abilities as they manoeuvre through challenging situations and make important decisions.

Such experiences, according to him, play a critical role in equipping leaders to effectively handle difficulties in the real world.

‘Our goal in conducting this exercise is to evaluate our preparedness in every area of national defence.

‘All aspects of our national security infrastructure will be examined for military readiness and intelligence capabilities to civil military coordination and strategic communications.

‘Crucially, STRANEX provides a forum for promoting interagency collaboration and coordination,” he said.

The defence chief said the armed forces, law enforcement agencies, intelligence, community and emergency responders could build their ties through such exercise to confront the complicated risks and hardship facing the country.

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According to him, beyond its short term goals, STRANEX emphasises a longer term commitm
ent to on-going national security posture modification and enhancement.

‘By recognising our competitive advantages and potential improvement areas, we make sure that our capabilities and policies are strong and adaptable enough to handle changing threats.

‘Part of the goal of this exercise is to break through present obstacles and develop resilience and insight to anticipate future unpredictability.

‘Let us reiterate our steadfast dedication to ensuring the safety and security of our dear country,” he added.

The Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the current threats transcend the capability of individual services and agencies, but demanded a seamless unified response.

Olotu, who was represented by the Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies, Maj.-Gen. Lawrence Fejokwu, said: ‘Thus, to effectively combat these challenges, realistic, sustainable and coordinated joint efforts remain paramount.

‘It is in this regard that innovative and strategic training institutions such as NDC, continua
lly exercise complex scenarios, dispose participants to the indicative of informed strategic decision during national crisis.

‘ The exercise is meticulously designed to provide a comprehensive learning and more realistic experience across the grand strategy, management strategy and operational levels,” he said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali has urged organisers of proposed protest to avoid plunging the nation into chaos and unrest with the planned demonstration.

Ali spoke with NAN correspondents on the sideline of the Lateef Jakande Annual Memorial Lecture, 2024, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) on Tuesday in Lagos.

The managing director who stated that he was not averse to peaceful protest as a democrat, said that most protests usually left behind sour tastes in the mouth.

Ali said: ‘Given our history, rarely do protests begin peacefully and end peacefully, especially the ones that are fuelled by political agitations.

‘Take for example, the EndSars protest, it started peacefully but at the end of the day it became something else.

‘If you look at it, there are still people who are still angry at the loss of the 2023 general elections. Let us not kill ourselves.’

He said that some protesters were already making open threats on social media to attack police
stations.

‘Only two days ago, someone was arrested because he came openly on social media to say they are going to attack police stations. You can imagine what will happen,’ he said.

Ali urged those supporting protest over economic challenges to look at the international pressure on economies.

‘Worldwide, there is serious pressure on national economies. So, let us not kill ourselves,’ the managing director said.

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He said that people should not use the protest to vent their anger and frustration in a violent protest.

He noted that dialogue and discussions would yield better results on how to address the nation’s socio-economic challenges.

Ali said: ‘Already in some parts of the country, some people are plotting to forcefully open warehouses where they think palliatives have been stacked.

‘Most of the young people do not know any better. Unfortunately, their only source of information is news feeds on social media.

‘Most of
the news feeds as you know are fabricated. Young people who consume social media products, sometime, do not have critical minds; they swallow everything hook, line and sinker.’

Speaking on the theme of the memorial lecture, ‘Rapidly Changing Media Landscape: Media Survival Strategies’, the managing director said that the current challenges facing the media industry were quite enormous.

According to him, however, challenges are meant to be addressed by the media.

‘If we look at the challenges, we should also look at the opportunities because in challenges lie opportunities.

‘The technology is the foremost advantage for media owners and publishers. The media should leverage on technology like what we are trying to do in NAN.

‘How do you leverage on technology? When you get the knowledge and translate the knowledge to skills, apply them to solve the problem,’ Ali said.

He said that many of the challenges facing the media industry were in form of finances.

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‘
If you look at it, the revenue streams are dwindling. Why? Because of digital media, contents are being stolen routinely.

‘What do we do? How do you check theft of your products/contents?

‘Unless we put together our contents in one place and then charge people who use the contents, chances are that the media will continue to wallow,’ Ali said.

He urged Nigerian media practitioners to look at the challenges, the alternatives and leverage on technologies and the Artificial Intelligence (AI).

‘With the coming of digital media, smart devices are replacing hard copies but newspapers are going to remain for a very long time unless they don’t adapt,’ he said.

NAN reports that the lecture brought together eminent media owners and publishers who took turns to laud the legacies of Jakande, the first Civilian Governor of Lagos State and renowned journalist.

Some of the media owners in attendance included Mr Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman, ThisDay/Arise Media Group; Mr Sam Amuka, the Publisher of Vanguard Media Grou
p; amongst others.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders in the health sector on Tuesday, identified the critical role of self-testing and Point-of-Care In Vitro Diagnostics (POC IVDs) in enhancing disease diagnosis and control in Nigeria.

The stakeholders made the call at a one-day summit in Abuja tagged, ‘Community Engagement in Diagnosis of ATM and Hepatitis in Nigeria: The Place of Self-Test and Point-of-Care In-Vitro Diagnostics.’

The convener of the summit, Dr Ali Onoja, Chief Executive Officer, African Health Project, highlighted the transformative potential of self-testing and POC IVDs in bridging healthcare gaps.

According to him, empowering communities with self-testing and POC IVDs will significantly enhance disease surveillance, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention efforts.

He disclosed that the African Health Project has conducted operational research on the preferences and acceptability of blood-based and oral-based HIV self-testing in Nigeria.

He explained that the study revealed high acceptability and accuracy for both testing meth
ods, with significant preference variations across different states.

He identified key recommendations from the study to include a comprehensive education campaign, enhanced training for healthcare workers, streamlined testing procedures, and increased accessibility and affordability of self-testing kits.

These measures, according to him, will bolster Nigeria’s healthcare system and ensure it meets the needs of all Nigerians, especially the most at-risk and hard-to-reach populations.

‘Let us harness the power of self-test and POC IVDs, alongside community engagement, to create a healthier, more resilient Nigeria.

‘This summit, therefore, underscored the collective commitment to advancing healthcare delivery and achieving global health targets,’ he said.

Cross section of participants at a one-day summit on ‘Community Engagement in Diagnosis of ATM and Hepatitis in Nigeria: The Place of Self-Test and Point-of-Care In-Vitro Diagnostics’ in Abuja on Tuesday.

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Also, Dr Chigozie Ujam, Deputy Director, National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), commended the African Health Project and other organisations for organising the summit.

According to him, promoting HIV self-testing will serve as part of the broader strategy to combat infectious diseases in the country.

He said that NACA was working with stakeholders to create enabling environments for initiatives that could get many people on treatment, beginning with testing, treatment, and achieving viral suppression.

‘This is important in achieving the global 95-95-95 targets, which aim to ensure that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 95 per cent of those receiving therapy achieve viral suppression.

‘This target cannot be achieved if people do not test.

‘Part of testing is not just what we do in the community but enabling people to test themselves in the convenience of their own homes throug
h HIV self-testing,’ he added.

One of the resource persons, Mr Manason Garkuwa, urged Nigerians to be wary of ‘window period’, the time between HIV infection and when a test can detect it.

Garkuwa stated this in a paper entitled, ‘Acute HIV Infection and its Impact on Controlling the HIV Epidemic in Nigeria.’

He said: ‘People within the window period may unknowingly spread the virus because they don’t know they are infected and therefore, are not under treatment.

‘However, new technologies are emerging that can narrow this window period, allowing us to detect infections sooner and prevent further transmission.’

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Also speaking, Mr Paulinus Ofutalu, Head of In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Department at the Medical Lab Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), emphasized the need for quality test kits for effective disease diagnostics and surveillance.

Ofutalu, who is also the Lab Manager at the National Reference Laboratory, Yaba, Lagos, urged m
edical practitioners on compliance to regulatory requirements.

He particularly called on manufacturers and importers of IVDs to adhere strictly to regulatory standards.

He also urged owners of laboratories across the country to ensure they procure test kits with the MLSCN IVD listing number, which serves as evidence of quality checks.

‘Whether as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or implementing partners, whenever they procure test kits, they should look for the IVD listing number as proof of compliance with quality standards,’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the summit brought together policymakers, healthcare professionals, NGOs and community leaders to explore innovative healthcare solutions.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria